Gregorian Egyptian Museum, History museum in Vatican Museums, Vatican City
The Gregorian Egyptian Museum is a collection of ancient Egyptian art and objects within the Vatican Museums. The exhibition occupies nine rooms arranged in a semicircle and displays artifacts, mummies, and archaeological discoveries from the region.
Pope Gregory XVI established this museum in 1839 and appointed Father Luigi Ungarelli to organize the initial collection. Ungarelli was a student of renowned Egyptologist Ippolito Rosellini and applied his expertise to shape the display.
The collection displays statues, papyrus scrolls, and hieroglyphic inscriptions that reveal how Egypt and Rome were connected. These objects show the importance Egyptian culture held for the Roman world.
A visit requires a ticket to the Vatican Museums, which grants access to all collections including the Egyptian section. The rooms have informational panels in multiple languages, allowing visitors to explore the displays independently.
The collection houses a complete Book of the Dead papyrus containing thirty pages of text designed to guide the deceased through the afterlife. This work is one of the best-preserved examples of this type of religious text.
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